Hiran Regional Food Security Cluster Meeting

May 2014

Agenda

1- Introduction 2- Review of previous minutes 3- Review follow up action from previous meeting 4- Field access and constraints 5- Presentation of district level information by response ,objective, activity planed verses actual 6- Review of gaps per district and responses discussions 7- AOB:

1. INTRODUCTION

The food security cluster vice coordinator chair opened the meeting officially and thanked all the participants for their regular active participation in food security cluster meetings and made brief introduction among participants. After an introduction the chair made a recap of the previous meeting agenda and minutes through presentation and distributing copy of minutes, the participants have been given a chance to glance previous meeting minutes and agenda, all participants have fully agreed and endorsed the previous minutes.

2. Review and agreement of previous minutes

The previous minutes mainly was focused on IDPs situation from B/burde and Mahas districts who recently displaced their homes due to military action against AS, the meeting mainly was discussed humanitarian situation on the region particularly newly displaced people and possibility to respond their needed support urgently, Actually, these displaced people are more vulnerable people and need of affective assistance supports for their basic needs including shelter, food, water and medicine, although efforts to help those displaced in Mahas district for evacuation from their houses due to hunger and water problems but this matter have not been solved so far by humanitarian aid agencies although, one partner provided food ration for about 948 HHs of newly displaced people arrived in Belet-weyene,

But many challenges are still unsolved which will jeopardize the smooth continuation of supporting conflict displaced people and one of main challenges underlined was displaced figures in kabhanley

1 which indicated to be over estimation figures this obstacle still remained unsolved and it may cause more reluctant ongoing humanitarian response plans, many efforts to sort out all disputes including kabhanley population figure ended failure and this dispute related displaced population will hinder all efforts to support vulnerable displaced people in Kabhanley.

The security situation of Hiran region is improving recently while national forces supported by AMISOM troops made progress in military offensive against ALSHABAB and seized key districts of Hiran region including Buloburte, and Mahas districts in March 2014 the military advance resulted large displacement in newly liberated districts such us Buloburte ,Mahas and Hudur of bokool region

The most reported IDPs were coming from Buloburte district and reached Beletweyne town these displaced people often mixed to their relatives in order to get support since they have escaped from their homes with empty hands, women and children were the most vulnerable and badly need of urgent support due to their vulnerability, as result, the humanitarian aid agencies in Hiran come to gather for collecting fact finding information to ensure newly displaced figure from Buloburte, Mahas and other neighboring regions like Hudur of region

In several FSC meetings discussed the rough estimation of newly arrived displacements in Beletweyne district an approximately about 1,300 HHSs were reported to come in four sections in Beletweyne town through joint rapid assessments conducted by several UN/International and local organizations operating in Hiran, the initial report of assessment indicated urgent needs of these displaced people but so far no any supports provided by those escaped in Beletweyne town so as to find their basic needs and this became surprised both humanitarian agencies as well as displaced people

3. Access/constrains

The accessibility of newly seized districts of Buloburte and Mahas is not yet confirmed and people living two districts are in need of urgent humanitarian supports while serious humanitarian situation is highly addressed in all districts of Hiran region particularly Buloburte district since they did not get any basic humanitarian assistances for the last six years, although, Somalia national forces and AMISOM controlled the area but still the security situation is unchanged, the district which is the only district still fully controlled by AS but AMISOM pointed out this district will soon resume in the hands of Somalia federal government.

4. Presentation of district level information by response objective activity plan verses actual

A presentation was made on the reports received by the FSC.

5. Review of gaps per district and response discussion:

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During the meeting it was deeply discussed water shortage and possible droughts since GU, rains become more delay that resulted huge water shortage in pastorals area of Hiran region, the worst sites was indicated to be surrounding villages in Mataban, Mahas, and Beletweyne districts of Hiran region, these area already started water trucking in early of February 2014,due to rains setback there was high fears of possible signs of droughts if the coming weeks did not fall Gu rains, a few key boreholes in Mataban,Gerijir and Beergadiid of Hiran region reported to be stagnant due to problems faced these boreholes and these matter was worsening water accessibility in the area, As result, one partner started in the meeting that will start drought monitoring assessment on Thursday 24th April 2014, the planed droughts monitoring assessment will facilitate t finding accurate information dissemination of water shortage and pave the way for possible humanitarian intervention. Also the previous meetings key issues underlined was a nutritional gaps TSFP for a large area in B/wein district as well as population movement IDPs who come from B/burde and Hudur bakol region and the possible way that can be support, but all these efforts become fruitless. Lastly the food security meeting was fully agreed possibility of conducting joint assessment of droughts in the accessible area in the region.

6. AOB:

The other business issues discussed during meeting was issues of Mahas District which was not included of district presentation responses information as well as the map, during the meeting it was proposed to FSC in Nairobi level should include Mahas district and provide satisfactory feedback for the absence of Mahas district which took long time.

The other major challenges that was underlined during meeting was poor communication information by some National Organizations based in unknown locations who usually reported to do activities but not shared their activities in clusters meeting this may cause overlapping and lack of coordination mechanism in clusters

The all participants of food security cluster are recommending any agencies willing to do some activities in the region would be much better to inform the food security vice coordinator in order to indicate the routine food security cluster report.

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